Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca has told his players they cannot rely on Erling Haaland as they prepare for a potential 65-game season. The Norwegian has scored 13 goals in all competitions but drew a blank on Saturday as City lost 1-0 to Brighton.
City created enough chances to score at least once at the weekend, yet few fell to Haaland. It was the second consecutive Premier League match in which the Blues were punished for missed opportunities, following a 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa that Maresca felt City deserved more from.
Haaland remains the focal point
Haaland will stay the team's main attacking threat, as he would for any side, but with no recognised back-up striker and Antoine Semenyo sidelined until Christmas, City need to show strength in numbers. With six points from nine in the Champions League, they now face RB Leipzig, a team Haaland scored five against during the Treble season.
"It's very important that in each game we create chances," said Maresca. "When you have Erling inside the pitch, it's better because you know he's close to scoring goals."
"We cannot rely on Erling in every game; we need the rest to score goals but the last game against Brighton was the only game of the season where we didn't score. If Erling is in the pitch we are happy but we need the rest to score goals."
Supporting cast yet to deliver
City have rotated the players around Haaland, with Phil Foden competing with Rayan Cherki for a place, and competition on the wings and in midfield. Ayyoub Bouaddi started alongside Elliot Anderson and Enzo Fernandez on Saturday, but the trio failed to make an impact.
Maresca acknowledged the team is still adapting to his methods and that he is learning about players he only began working with in the summer. Expectations at City remain unchanged, with the successor to Pep Guardiola still targeting progress in all four competitions.
"We have so many games and we have so many good players. This is not a short run, it's not a sprint, it's a marathon," he said. "We need to think about 65 games. For me it's very important to win games in the way we are trying to do but it's also very important to arrive in February or March when things are going to be exciting to have everyone available and fit."
